On the occasion of a User Hearing day that took place in Brussels on 17 December 2009, the principles governing the access to GMES Earth Observation data under the EC/ESA delegation agreement were presented. In order to achieve its main objectives, GMES needs to have appropriate data access conditions and data policies. The agreement is based primarily on a new data access principle which will benefit a very high number of beneficiaries, a simple licensing scheme, a limited number of user categories and a definition of two types of data – CORE datasets and ADDITIONAL datasets.
On 17 December 2009 the European Commission and ESA organised in Brussels an User Hearing day on access to GMES Earth Observation (EO) data. The aim of the event was to inform about the principles governing the access to GMES EO data under the EC/ESA delegation agreement. The event also provided a list of foreseen data sets that will be made available during the 2011-2013 period.
The main objectives of GMES as a whole are to provide value-added services to the GMES user community, including pre-processed EO data and to share them amongst a large community of users. However, to date the use of EO data and derived products is very often limited which explains why it is crucial for GMES to have appropriate data access conditions and data policies in line with its main objectives.
The data access conditions should not only ensure access to the GMES services, but also foster the user uptake of EO data acquired through GMES and of products supplied by the Core Services as well as strengthening EO markets in Europe in order to bring growth and job creation. The conditions should also secure the continuous provision of EO data to operational services at the lowest possible cost, contributing to the sustainability of the provision of GMES data and information.
The approach to EO data procurement would then be built on the following basis:
- A move from the existing Data Access Grant to the concept of a "Data Warehouse" which will hold standardised data sets for a very high number of beneficiaries;
- In line with the above, the new scheme will be open to a large user community, by defining a simple licensing scheme open to public stakeholders; there will be a limited number of user categories;
- The limited funding should also favour a scheme where the use of public assets in GMES is maximised.
The specifications of the data to be provided through the Data Warehouse will aim at widening user access along three major principles:
1. Extension of licences to meet the needs of a wider range of user activities for the datasets covered by the current GSC DAP (GMES Space Component Data Access Portfolio);
2. Depending on the type of service, predefinition of CORE datasets with fixed specifications that represent the common needs of a broad user community;
3. Bulk agreement for ADDITIONAL datasets with flexible specifications.
The approach for the procurement of the two types of datasets will be different: CORE datasets can be procured on the basis of pre-defined specifications, while ADDITIONAL datasets through a quota mechanism and bulk agreements with data providers for the provision of data within a financial envelope.
More information at:
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/newsroom/cf/itemlongdetail.cfm?item_id=3842&tpa_id=1007&lang=fr